Grade 8

Harry parked his car in front of the little bistro his hands falling from the wheel. He was so nervous he was sure if he picked up anything it would slide out of his hands. With the heaviest of sighs he got out of his car taking quick strides to the door. She was already seated a mug of something hot and steamy in front of her. She was looking out a side window giving Harry a few moments to collect himself as he neared her. She had a black beanie on over her dark curls for once she didn't look like she had spent all night at a dingy pub. That leather jacket of hers hanging off of her chair, it had seen better days, he made a mental note to look for a new one for her. He stopped in front of the table her eyes slowly meeting his.

"You came." She sounded surprised.

"Of course I came." He sat down in the chair opposite her.

A waitress came over then asking if she could get him anything to drink. "Water, thanks."

They sat in silence her tea was left untouched her full attention on Harry. "Zayn broke up with me." She finally said looking down.

Harry didn't know what to say to that. Was he happy? Maybe a little bit. This wasn't what he came here for he didn't what to know about her and Zayn, and he definitely didn't want Alexis to get any ideas now that she was single and free to mingle.

"Last night," she continued. "Said I have to many problems."

"You both do."

She looked up then. "I suppose you're right."

"Why am I here exactly?" Harry asked after another beat of silence.

"I wanted to apologize."

Harry sat back shocked. "For what?"

Alexis pushed her unwanted tea away as she readies herself. "For what I did to you."

"Alexis, you didn't do anything." Harry sat forward shaking his head.

"I did." Alexis argued. "I led you on and treated you like shit."

"Lex..."

"I'm trying to work to work on myself now. Mum's got me seeing her shrink." She made a sound of disgust. "He's a moron but I'm at least working through everything."

"That's good."

"I know what happened between us wasn't ok, at all, but I'm kind of glad it happened." Alexis said reaching forward to take Harry's hand in hers. "You're my best friend and loosing you has been terrible. I need you."

"I need you too." Harry squeezed her hand once then slid it out from under hers. "As a friend."

"Just friends." She laughed, Harry had missed that laugh. "This will be weird, yeah?"

"Maybe a little." He smiled. "How's New York?"

Alexis was animated as she told him about what she was doing. Apparently she had gained her mother's trust enough to be promoted from being an intern to assisting her mother make decisions on the line.

"She's letting me do so much." She gushed. Harry had never seen her so Excited about something that wasn't drug or alcohol related. "I'm actually kind of grateful they made me do it."

"You haven't gotten into with your mum?" Harry was surprised she would enjoy spending time with her mother someone she had only shown disdain for.

"Everyone's getting along now." She smiled. "Even Adam has been at family shit. Can you believe it?"

"No." Harry laughed at the thought of Adam at a family affair. "What changed him?"

"I don't know." She looked away obviously not wanting to talk about it. "But it's nice."

They talked for over an hour it felt like nothing had changed, but everything had. There was still a weight on them holding them back from going back to where they had been. Harry was confident they could go back to being friends again over time once he had Lena back in his life. He knew now that his feelings for Alexis had nothing on how he felt for Lena. He had been in denial for so long about his true feelings for both girls.

"I'm glad you came today." Alexis said as they stood in front of Harry's car.

"Me too." Harry pulled her into him giving her a long hug. He had missed holding her close but now when they did he knew it was only as friends; and he accepted that.

He watched her walk away before climbing back into his car. He let out a breath he felt like he had been holding all morning. He felt so much lighter now that he had that out of the way. It was just one step closer to finding his way back to Lena.



"So you've patched things up with Alexis, when are you going to do that with Zayn?" Lou asked before taking a drink of the beer in her hand.

"Yeah! Been a right arse to him lately." Tom, Lou's fiancé, agreed lifting his bottle into the air. "Kiss and make up, or whatever that bloody saying is."

Harry shook his head at him. "I don't know things are still a bit tense."

"Only because you keep making it that way." Lou rolled her eyes. "Stop being a wanker."

"Leave 'im be!" Sam, Lou's twin sister, cut in for Harry's defense. "Let 'im do it on his own. You don't have ta be his mum ya know."

"I'm not tryin' to be his mum." Lou scowled at her sister.

"It has been a long time, mate." Tom shrugged. "Might be time to move past it."

"You're right." Harry looked at his friends. "All of you."

His problem with Zayn was how to go about fixing things. It had been so long since they had even spoken willingly. He wasn't sure how a talk with Zayn would go; but he knew it had to happen. Soon.

"The problem is I don't know how to go about doing that."

That's all he had to say for Lou and Sam to be talking over each other giving him advice. He immediately regretted this decision as he was bombarded with words of wisdom. He would be lucky if any of it actually stick with how fast they were talking.

"Good one." Tom tipped his bottle at him before taking another drink from it. "They'll never shut up."